To Protect You
by Innocent Resistance
Summary: A Godchild fic about Cain's abusive childhood and how Riff fell in love with him. RiffxCain, reviews wanted please! CHAPTER FIVE IS UP! For realz this time! Sorry about that it was late and i was tired D
1. Chapter 1

Hi this is Innocent Resisitance. I know I know I haven't finished Dragon Magic but nobody would give me a review or anything. Makes me sad *cries*

So yea, I have no clue where to go now. So I'll start this CainxRiff fic 3 yay boy love!

Disclaimer: I do not own Godchild, Earl Cain series or Riff or Cain. If I did, there would be more than implications of CainxRiff

Oh and this is in Riff's POV to let you know~~

**To Protect You**

Honestly I had never thought of my master in any way but, well, my master before I started bathing him. He was the son of a cruel man named Alexis, he was alone and, well, unloved, as per request of his father. He was a cute little kid, I could admit to that. Being hurt as I was because of the....Incident with my family not so long ago, in a sadistic and twisted wayit was nice to have someone else who lived in constant pain.

But I wanted to protect him. i really did, he didn't need to feel as I did for being so young. I was happy when we established a connection. I found it funny at first how I was always able to find him. Only at first though, for it was when I got closer to him that i understood.

I guess I started to, develop feelings for him if you will, during one winter.....

Lord Alexis had left the mansion for the next week or so. But in order to make my master suffer, he had ordered everyone to not light the fires in my master's room, or make his bath warm. This winter had been a particularly cold one, more so than any other recently. My master was frail as it was. He had pale skin which didn't offer much heat because he was so thin. His eyes, oh, his eyes.... I tried not to look at him, afraid I would stare like everybody else did. They would whisper _"His eyes...those are not normal. Those eyes are from, incest perhaps? Oh, the Hargreaves would never allow. He must be a demon...Those eyes..."_

I did not see his eyes that way, but I did not melt because of them like females did. it was not the color as much as it was the depth. The pain, the sorrow, the understanding and...Love? There was, and is love in those eyes. Not for anyone in particular. And not the kind of love that would be for a lover, or someone special. A love that was waiting to be given to someone, for someone, from someone who had no one.

Regardless, we were to keep it freezing during the day. "Lord Cain?" I called, seeing the boy run through the dinning room. He did not complain that it was cold. he did not complain at all. he ran up to me with a small smile on his face.

"Yes Riff?" he asked softly and looked up at me. I could hear the soft chatter of his teeth. He held himself, but tried to be descreet about it, as if he wasn't trying to be warm.

"You look cold. And pale." I asked, worried. Obviously he had a fever. he would never admit it. my thoughts were answered with a small "I'm fine." As he left, I was sure that if he had let me care for him, Lord Alexis would have found out, and he would get a whipping. We were both sure.

I sighed and went back to my duties. I could remember when the whippings seemed to start. I wasn't around for the begining begining. But I remember when Lord Cain used to scream. He used to, until he learned how many more whippings he would recieve. So he stopped screaming. I vaguely remember being there once. I say vaguely, meaning sight. It was back when he used to scream. So, I remember the sounds. I remember being yelled at to watch. Watch what happened to disobidient sons. not as much to teach me a lesson, Lord Alexis wanted to make Lord Cain ashamed of himself. He whipped the poor boy. I remember seeing scars, and a few day old scabs. Now there were red markswhere he had began, going harder and harder. I closed my eyes for a while, ashamed of myself for not saying anything, not grabbing the whip and shouting enough. Something inside of me...Something didn't allow me to defy Lord Alexis as my heart was screaming to do. My heart wanted to but my mind couldn't make my body move. I remember opening my eyes at the very end. Seeing him cower and cry, and Lord Alexis laugh. Seeing blood, everywhere.

I never watched another whipping again.

Regardless, this boy was in pain and wouldn't admit it. He was cold, and eating was not a pleasure, for his food was to be served to him raw and cold. I walked after my master, who had gone to his cold room. I knocked on the door softly. "Lord Cain? May I come in?"

"S-sure..." Came the reply and I walked in. He sat shivering in the middle of his bed that had no covers. Those were forbidden as well. Somehow he looked worse than he had about ten minutes ago. The black bags under his eyes had grown larger and he looked paler. His facial expression was so tired, and seemingly weak. He sat, curled up with his knees to his chest and his arms around them. His face was somewhat buried and his hair was matted. He sat shivering with the windows open, well, the windows were not really there, they had been removed for the next week or so as well. It was all really pathetic. I don't call my Cai-I mean- Lord Cain pathetic, I call Lord Alexis pathetic, for letting his son go through this at his own fancy. I'm surprised Lord Cain hadn't killed himself yet.

"You seem sick. Let me exa-"

"I'm fine Riff...And besides, my father would hu-"

"Come with me." I said and lifted him up, I heard a small gasp, but he was too weak to fight back. As I held that little body in my arms, I knew I needed to listen to my heart saying to protect him, no matter what my mind was telling me about what Lord Alexis would do. His arms and legs hung limply and he didn't bother to keep his head up. He was sweating and shivering, this little boy.

I took him into my room and laid him on my bed, I then began examining him. Obviously he was running a high fever, a really high fever. " Lord Cain your clothes."

He closed his eyes. "R-Riff I..can't...."

I understood and carefully took off his clothes, I made sure I locked his door, keeping the keys and locking my own, so it won't look suspicious. I took off his clothes, keeping my eyes closed until I had covered his privacy.

"R-Riff can you..bathe me..? I haven't been able to..These few days..." He looked ashamed of himself, but it could see it in his hair that he had not been able to wash correctly.

I nodded. "Of course my lord." I said and lifted him into my arms. "Just relax." I told him and he held onto me. It felt nice. I enjoyed every second.

I sat him down on some towels and stated the fire under the tub. A few minutes later I started to fill it with water, going through the phases to ensure it be nice and warm for my shivering master.

After it was all set, I sat him in it and a little sigh of relief escaped his lips. I started to wet him down with it all slowly, using a small pitcher to run it over his head.

"Does it feel nice?"

"M-Mhmm..." He agreed with closed lips and closed eyes, his breathing was less erratic now.

I nodded and then it hit me my eyes were roaming, there was no more water in the pitcher and he was looking at me a little funny.

"Riff? is something the matter?" He asked me. I shook my head and looked at him.

"It's nothing my master."

Okay okay I know it wasn't that great buuut It was an idea.

Please review! Thank you!!


	2. Chapter 2

Hii! I'm back 33

Hm I got good reviews on this story so I'm going to continue it, please read my other story Dragon Magic w

Okay~ It's RiffxCain again

and Discalimer again: I don't own Godchild/Count Cain, but if I did there would be more smexiness XDD

**To Protect You Chapter 2**

I lifted my master out of the tub, he wasn't shivering so badly as before, mainly because I wrapped him tightly in a towel close to my body. He hid his face in the soft towel.

"Lord Cain? Do you wish to stay with m-"

"Yes!" he cried, I looked at him a little surprised but nodded and took him into the room, laying him onto the bed and pulling on his undergarments before taking off his towel. He was so thin and cute, with his translucent skin and his soft lips....I shook my head. _What am I thinking?_ As much as I wanted to touch those lips to my own, I could never bring myself to....

"R-Riff..?" That small voice broke me out of my thoughts as I looked down at the shivering boy. My heart melted as he looked at me with those beautiful eyes. Those eyes that I would die for.

"Forgive me, it's nothing to be concerned with my Lord." I smiled at him and put him into my night clothes. Honestly, I could have quickly gotten some of his from the wash but something inside of me wanted to see him in _my_ night clothes. They were very big on the small boy. I smiled and supressed a giggle as he picked up his armsand let the sleeves hang down. I finally saw a smile break onto his face. Oh, how I loved his smile. I craved it like it was my drug.

"Riff your shirts are really big....I really like them!" he giggled as he stood up on my bed, the pants fell but the shirt hung down to almost his knees. He was really a very small boy.

"I looks good on you Lord Cain." I smiled at him and put him down onto the pillow, pulling the covers onto of him. I was about to leave the room when I heard a little cry.

"No!! I mean....Are you coming back?" He asked, he looked small on my big bed. I wanted to curl up under the covers with him, but I couldn't.

"I'll be back after I make sure the manor is all locked up, my Lord. Then if you don't mind, I must bathe but I promise after that I will not leave your side." I smiled at him and gave him a small wave as I shut the door and locked it, taking the key with me so when I came back he wouldn't have to get out of bed to answer the door.

It felt like forever had passed as I went about securing the mansion, and finally back up to my room, as I went in, I saw an eagar and pale face pop form under the covers in the darkness, only a small flame came form the fireplace. I immediatly took care of that with feeding the fire more logs. Then lighting the candle on my nightstand.

"Riff! H-hurry and take your sh-shower!" he chirped and smiled as he laid back down, watching me intently.

"Yes, Lord Cain." I nodded and smiled at him, I was happy that he was so happy to see me. "I'm very sorry about the fi-"

"Yes yes now go!" He said quickly and I nodded and grabbed another pair of my nightclothes and towels. I ran into the bathroom and started up the water and fire underneath. _I must be quick. Lord Cain ordered it, so it shall be done._ I smiled at my own thoughts and the initial thoughts of my little master. _Maybe one day he'll invite me into the bath with him? I could sit behind him and wash his back and such..Maybe..._ I shook my head as I got into the bath.

As much as I wanted to rush, the bath felt nice on my tired body. I ran my finger across the surface of the water. Gentle ripples tickled my chest, I loved the feel of water. Maybe because of the incident? I don't know but recently I've taken a new notice of water, mainly my bathwater, but I've found myself standing in the rain without an umbrella before my young lord comes outside to tell me to go in before I catch a cold. A lot of the time I listen, because a lot of the time he tells me to. But there are other times, which I cherish when we stand out in the rain together. Sometimes he even holds onto my hand as if trying to pull me inside but giving up.

Of course I'd scold him later, but that wasn't the point. He liked rain like I did. We did share a lot in common but one major thing was rain. I guess it's one of those things that makes you forget, it mezmerizes.I take notice of him when he stands by me during those times. It's then that he does cry. Sounds.....strange, crying in the rain but it's because he doesn't want me or anybody else to see him cry....I wish he'd let me see his feelings...

"R-Riff you'll catch your death!"

I jumped as my master stood with his eyes closed at the doorway. the water had long gone cold and I hadn't noticed I was shivering.

"Forgive me my Lord I'll be right there!" I told him and got out, draining the water and drying myself quickly, pulling on some clothes.

As I walked into the room he was just climbing back into the bed. I must have been quicker getting dressed than I had intially thought. With a small sigh and walked over to tuck him in but he stopped me, putting his pale little hand on my wrist.

"What about you?"

Mm yes what about me? I couldn't sleep in the same bed as my master (no matter how much I wanted to) but he was in my bed.

"Master..." I sighed and shook my head. It wasn't possible.

"But you promised to take care of me...I'm still cold so your body heat.." He smiled, not really knowing how intimate you should be before sleeping together. I already knew that I really had no interest in the female masses but....He was my master and...

"Master, you know if anybody.."

"And if anybody found out you were caring for me I would be whipped anyway." He nodded at me, not letting go of my wrist. He was intent on me staying in this bed with him.

"All right then." I nodded and pulled back the covers. He smiled happily and moved over for me to get into bed. I laid down with my back propped up on two pillows and covered us. I tried to hold back the blush and cry of joy as he snuggled up next to me, putting his frail arms around my chest and his face in the crook of my neck.

"Good night Riff..." he yawned and closed his eyes.

"Sweet dreams my lord." I whispered before blowing out the candles.

So what do you think? I think it's cute ^w^

Please R&R

And thank you to the people who have review, you're my inspiration ^^


	3. Chapter 3

Okay I'm baaaack!

I just read all of your reviews today (well..yesterday *sweat*) and it made me feel so happy I just got into the writing mood!!

So I hope this is what you were expecting.

Oh yes, disclaimer thinger: I does not own Godchild/Count Cain v///v;;

**To Protect You Chapter 3**

I woke up the next morning not knowing where I was. It was all so surreal. I jumped a bit when I looked down and saw my master in my arms. Looking around, I tried to gather my thoughts on what had happened the previous night.

I remembered all of a sudden and sighed in relief. To be honest I would have been happy if my previous scattered thoughts had been true but was also relieved that they weren't. I moved a little to try and start my duties but he wouldn't let me go. One beautiful golden green eye opened.

"Where are you going Riff?" he asked softly, smiling all the while. His face looked like it had more color in it now, not so sickly. His eyes shone brightly in the mildness of the morning light. It was misty out today so you could not see for a long distance. To me, it would be the perfect day for a stroll through the gardens, the sun would not beat down on me today and the watery state of the air would keep me rather cool unless the fog cleared. Or, at least it would be perfect if it wasn't the middle of winter.

"My lord I am going around to do my job. The house won't run itself." I nodded and got up to begin getting my clothes together.

"But Riff! Today is special you can't work!" He cried out and jumped out of bed, hissing as his feet touched the cold floor but still running up to me and grabbing my robe. "You can't!"

I looked at him a bit puzzled. Special day? There was nothing special about today. It was cold outside and his father was freezing him.

"My Lord I'm afraid I have absolutely no inkling of what you are talking about." I said frankly and got my clothes. "Get back into bed before you catch your death on those bare legs and feet of yours." I nodded again and picked him up, placing him back under the covers.

"But Riff! It's your birthday!"

I stopped up. My birthday? Oh. Yes of course that is today isn't it? And how old would that make me? Honestly I couldn't tell you. I know Im obviously rather young so...Oh well.

"So?" I asked nonchalantly. "You've never made a big deal out of it before, my lord, and I don't see what is causing you to now." I said that a littler meaner than I had initially intended, but it was the truth.

"B-...'' He stopped and looked down. "But I only found out when you were in the bath last night.." He said softly. "I didn't mean to go snooping through your stuff but there was a card from your mother on the floor over there. I put it on the bookshelf because I didn't want you to punish me or yell.." He looked like he was becoming more upset by the minute.

"Lord Cain..." I said softly and walked up to sit by him on the bed. "I know you know it's quite wrong to go looking through other people's stuff. So I'm not going to yell at you. It's been years since someone has acknowledged my birthday, even when my parents were alive. So, thank you. And if you order me to, I shall take the day off, but only intervine when I feel it is neccesary."

"Happy birthday Riff!" He hugged me as much as he could and smiled up at me. "I'm going to go make you breakfast!" He said happily and left my room to his own. I'm assuming to try and get himself dressed.

"Well...I guess I better try to relax if I don't die from worrying about my little master."

About an hour later, I looked up from my book when I heard scurrying and the clanging of dishes. I heard a bump on my door and was about to check when my little master came in clumsily with a platter filled with all sorts of food. Eggs in a basket and such. I think I even saw some cookies. He clearly never made any breakfast before.

"Breakfast is served!!~" He said happily and tried to rush to my bed. As he got closer I saw what he had made. The eggs in a basket was burnt as was everything else. There was..Cake(?) on the plate as well, sloppily frosted but the bit you could see what black.

"What flavor cake?" I asked, giving a smile and pleading with Mother Maria that it was dark chocolate and the other burnt items were messing with my eyesight.

"Vanilla! White cake!" He grinned and continued rushing over. I was thinking of how horribly wonderful a death I would have when I heard a little yelp. Before I knew it my little master was on the floor, dishes broken around him and food all over him. He looked dazed for a few minutes before he started to realize what happened.

"Oh..N-no.." I heard him say. I jumped out of bed to help him when I heard him start to sniffle. Tears welling up.

"Please don't cry. It's okay." He tryed to console him and pick up the pieces of broken glass before he could harm himself. His bottom lip was quivering and I could see it was the final straw in his life thus far. He was going to cry and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

"R-R-Riff I-I can't..." He took a quivering breath. "I-I can n-n-never do anything r-r-right.." He started to cry and shake. He sobbed softly at first, mumbling to himself, but soon it was full blown crying. I kept telling him it was going to be okay. I kept asking if he was alright, if he had hurt himself. He wouldn't answer me. I placed him in the bathroom and cleaned up everything myself. Putting it all in the tablecloth he had brought and threw it towards the door after tying it.

"My lord I'm going to bathe you-" I ran in the bathroom and stopped up when I saw him holding a bloody piece of glass. His face was beat red and he was holding his leg. "Did you do this to yourself?! Only weak people d-"

"No! No I d-didn't! It was stuck in there!" He screamed at me and I ran to his side immediately. I began to strip him (with much difficulty for it was now I noticed all of his buttons were done up wrong and his pants were on backwards as was his undershirt. His socks weren't on right and he had his shoes on the wrong feet), not caring who walked in or what he thought. The way he was screaming sounded like I was doing unspeakable things to him. I kept stroking his face and hair, trying to calm him down. I began to fill up the tub and apply pressure to his wound with a face cloth. I was honestly scared he was going to crumble to pieces in my arms. The way he was screaming sounded like I was going to lose my Cain forever.

So what do you think? ...Nevermind I know what your thinking. DAMNIT A CLIFFHANGER!

I mean, we all know Cain is a...Erm...Normal (?) guy when he gets older but how will this affect his childhood with Riff? :3 Please R&R! I'll have a new chapter probably on Sunday! (Today is Friday suuuu yeaaa =3 )


	4. Chapter 4

Okay I'm back and posting by Sunday as promised ^^ (Not really cause were being retards. but i was trying to upload it allll day -.......- )

Disclaimer: I do not own the Count Cain/Godchild series nor do I own Cain or Riff

**To Protect You Chapter 4**

I looked down at the sobbing little boy in my arms. It was very very unlike him to cry like this but I guess everything just got to him when he fell. I kept trying to calm him down while tying off the facecloth around his wound to make sure the water was okay. He kept crying out things like 'No wonder he hates me' and 'I can never do anything right' and then 'I'm going to be whipped again'.

"Cain-...Lord Cain please calm down. I'm not going to hurt you and-..And it's all going to be all right." I tried to reassure him and picked him up, placing him in the tub abd shutting off the faucet. He quieted down to little whimpers after hearing he wouldn't be hurt for this. It bothered me that he thought I would actually harm him for being what his father had taught to him as _bad._

"R-R-Riff....I-I ruined.." He quick breath. "Your b-b-birthday." He sobbed a little and wouldn't look me in the eye as I washed the food off of him. I rubbeed his shoulders for a little longer then I should have and he shifted a little as I got down to his back. I began to wash his back gently.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had. I just wish you hadn't gotten cut because of it." I smiled at him and he looked at me with a sideways glance.

"But I ruined your breakfast..I dropped it and now you have to work still.." He bit his lip and ifnally looked at me fully. I could see his eyes were already so very red. "I ruined it all and now you have to clean and wash me and e-everything!"

"No." I said softly and unwrapped his wound. I could see him wince and close his eyes. I began to wash it softly, lifting his leg out of the water to pick out any glass left behind with tweasers. "I get to spend my birthday with you Lord Cain. I don't care if I have to dress you and cook for you and bathe you. Honestly I enjoy it." He smiled a little and put his leg back in the water. "It's only a flesh wound. But a pretty deep one."

"Riff...Riff will you spend my birthday with me?" He asked suddenly. I looked over to him.

"Of course my Lord." I wouldn't tell him I already had a present for him. And I looked forward to his birthday every year. I hated when his father was home on his birthday, but I would always sneak his present under his pillow. Normally it was another book for him to escape reality. This year I had bought him a volume of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Something I hoped he'd enjoy. He was too young to already stop believing in fairy tales, or at least enjoying them. I understand why he broke away from them though, the harsh reality of his life and lonliness made the dream of ever being saved a far off memory.

I had washed his hair without even noticing. It started to become methodic. I knew how to touch certain places (such as his back) and what to wahs them with. It was something I enjoyed and was good at. I smiled a little more as he leaned his head on my arm, eyes drooping. He _had_ lost quite a bit of blood.

I lifted him out of the tub and sat him on a towel. I frowned knowing what I would have to do next. I told him I had to stich up the wound and he just kind of nodded and laid there, waiting for me to return with my instruments.

"It's hurt a little, but you'll be strong for me, right?" He smiled at him reassuring you, letting him know I was not doing this because I wanted to as much as I had to.

"Y-yes..I-I'll try...Am I allowed t-to wince though?" He asked. Permission to wince?

"My Lord. You don't need to ask me permission to feel pain. You don't need to ask permission for anything. You are _my_ master, not the other way around." He smiled a little at this, looking quite ammused. These were some of the many times I would forget who belonged to who.*

Sorry it's a bit short. I just thought that was a nice line to end it with.

I ran into some problems yesterday so I threw this together late last night and this morning _ I didn't want to disappoint!

I promise that chapter 5 will be longer v.v;;

*(Volume 2 of Godchild: Lion's Crest ).


	5. Chapter 5

Hey sorry I've been gone for so long. Deaths in the family and hospital visits have been ravaging and such lol

Well, I'm back!! (Final Chapter)

**To Protect You Chapter 5**

Riff sighed as he closed the book he was reading. It was an old volume of Grimm's Fairy Tales. He had found it laying on his masters night table and had picked it up to read it. At which point was it where he had begun to feel this way? Perhaps it was truly when he first saw his Lord Cain thst these feelings had sprung, and grew even closer to him? Perhaps. Perhaps it was those few days he had been thinking of, when he took care of his lord and first bathed him, and slept in the same bed as him and kept him warm. All through the years from then on he had done those things without thinking twice of the sexual references that could have been made about their relationship. People speculated, he was sure of that, but nobody ever truly had any proof. He loved this man more than anybody in the world, and would die for him. Riff was broken out of his thoughts as he heard the door slam.

"Hello Riff." That familiar voice rang from the entrance of his lord's quarters as his lord himself waltzed in and hung up his coat.

"I didn't know you went out my lord." Riff smiled and put down the book.

"Oh? Do I need your permission?" He smirked.

"Of course not my lord. I was just wondering." Riff got up and walked over to his lord. "I apologize for being in your chambers, but I was just looking for you and came across that book. How many years has it been?"

"Quite a few.." He walked up to the nightstand and picked up the book. "I read it around my birthday or when I get lonely." He looked at Riff and met his eyes. Greenish-Gold eyes met light blue and they connected, they shared a mental and emotional bond stronger than any physical, and they saw into each others thoughts as though it was laid down bare before each of them.

"Shall I read it to you like I used to?" Riff said what he had been thinking and then blushed. "I mean...Of course not...Well...Um.." He sputtered and turned quickly to leave so he wouldn't embarrass himself further.

"Wait!" He reached his hand out towards Riff. "I mean..I would enjoy that."

Riff turned quickly and smiled softly. "Yes...My Lord." He walked over and took the book, patting the bed and taking off both their shoes, setting them up against the pillows.

Cain smiled and leaned his head on Riff's chest as he used to when he was a child, memories flooding through both of them as Riff began to read.

_One day an old man and his wife were sitting in front of a miserable house resting a while from their work. Suddenly a splendid carriage with four black horses came driving up, and a richly-dressed man descended from it. The peasant stood up, went to the great man, and asked what he wanted, and in what way he could serve him. The stranger stretched out his hand to the old man, and said, I want nothing but to enjoy for once a country dish, cook me some potatoes, in the way you always have them, and then I will sit down at your table and eat them with pleasure. The peasant smiled and said, you are a count or a prince, or perhaps even a duke, noble gentlemen often have such fancies, but you shall have your wish. The wife then went into the kitchen and began to wash and rub the potatoes, and to make them into balls, as they are eaten by the country-folks. Whilst she was busy with this work, the peasant said to the stranger, come into my garden with me for a while, I have still something to do there. He had dug some holes in the garden, and now wanted to plant trees in them._

Cain smiled as he heard Riff's magical voice read what was on the yellowed page, corners dog eared from years of use "The Master-Thief", he loved this story, and Riff knew that.

_Have you no children, asked the stranger, who could help you with your work. No, answered the peasant, I had a son, it is true, but it is long since he went out into the world. He was a ne'er-do-well, clever and knowing, but he would learn nothing and was full of bad tricks. At last he ran away from me, and since then I have heard nothing of him. The old man took a young tree, put it in a hole, drove in a post beside it, and when he had shovelled in some earth and had trampled it firmly down, he tied the stem of the tree above, below, and in the middle, fast to the post by a rope of straw. But tell me, said the stranger, why you don't tie that crooked knotted tree, which is lying in the corner there, bent down almost to the ground, to a post also that it may grow straight, as well as these. The old man smiled and said, sir, you speak according to your knowledge, it is easy to see that you are not familiar with gardening. That tree there is old, and mis-shapen, no one can make it straight now._

Cain frowned at this part a little. "Training trees form very young.." He said groggily. "Feh...What a load.."

Riff smiled down at him before continueing.

_Trees must be trained while they are young. That is how it was with your son, said the stranger, if you had trained him while he was still young, he would not have run away. Now he too must have grown hard and mis-shapen. Truly it is a long time since he went away, replied the old man, he must have changed. Would you know him again if he were to come to you, asked the stranger. Hardly by his face, replied the peasant, but he has a mark about him, a birth-mark on his shoulder, that looks like a bean. When he had said that the stranger pulled off his coat, bared his shoulder, and showed the peasant the bean. Good God, cried the old man, you are really my son, and love for his child stirred in his heart. But, he added, how can you be my son, you have become a great lord and live in wealth and luxury. How have you contrived to do that. Ah, father, answered the son, the young tree was bound to no post and has grown crooked. Now it is too old, it will never be straight again. How have I come by all this. I have become a thief, but do not be alarmed, I am a master-thief. For me there are neither locks nor bolts, whatsoever I desire is mine.... _

Cain looked up at Riff, who had trailed off. Riff wa just looking at the page. "What I desire is mine.." he mumbled to himself and closed his eyes. Cain opened his mouth to question Riff as he closed the book and took Cain by the shoulders. "What I..." He reached down as if in a trance and kissed his master's open mouth. At first Cain just sat there in shock, then kissed him back, holding him close. "Aah.." He whimpered.

Riff pulled back and looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm s-sorry!" iff cried and looked away, then Cain grabbed his face.

"Haha...Master Thief." he chuckled and kissed Riff again. "You trained the crooked tree while it was young, and now it belongs to you, Riff."

Riff blushed and took his master into his arms. He stroked his hair and kissed his face all over. It was what he was waiting to hear for so long. Oh so long. Since Cain was a child. Since Riff was younger, ever since he met this child. He loved him. He loved him more than anyone.

"I would give my heart....My life...And my soul...

...All to protect you."

Fin

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Haha all done now, just because I can't come up with a lot lol

I hope you guys enjoyed it ^^

Thanks for all the support and reviews -hearts-


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